Hello gentle readers, and welcome to the SwitchArcade Round-Up for March 5th, 2021. In today’s article, we cover a bit of news from the New Game+ Expo before heading into the new releases of the day. There are a few more than I expected, but it’s a real mix of quality as usual. We finish things up by looking at the incoming and expiring sales. That big sale I was expecting didn’t hit, so it’s relatively small for a Friday list. Well, it’s nice to have a break sometimes. Let’s get into it!
News
Pyra and Mythra DLC Now Available in ‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’
I had a hunch this was going to happen, and it did. After Mr. Sakurai did his usual presentation showing off the newest additions to the roster of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, he capped things off by saying the characters would be available on that day! And so they are. If you have the Fighters Pass 2 you can go ahead and grab the Pyra/Mythra DLC because you already paid for them. If not, you can buy the Fighters Pass 2 or grab these new fighters a la carte. With them comes the 11.0 update and some new Mii Fighter costumes, among other things. Time to start the hype cycle for the next fighter. Go, Austin the Gardenscapes Butler! You can do it!
NIS America Announces Release Dates and New Titles
The New Game+ Expo offered up a lot of news from some smaller publishers, and while I’m not going to go over everything there are a couple of points I have to mention. First is that we now have a North American release date for Disgaea 6. Previously penciled in for a summer release, we now know the precise date: June 29th. The other exciting news from NIS America is that the publisher will bring a set of its older games to the Switch under the title Prinny Presents NIS Classics Vol. 1. It contains both Phantom Brave and Soul Nomad & the World Eaters, a pair of PlayStation 2 classics from the days before NIS struck gold with Disgaea and began focusing on it. This set has a vague summer release date, so the uncertainty continues. Yay!
‘Blaster Master Zero 3’ Blasts Off This July
The other news that caught my attention from New Game+ Expo was the announcement of the third, and apparently final, Blaster Master Zero game. It’s scheduled for a July 29th release date and will apparently sell for $14.99. Inti Creates also took the opportunity to give some updates on Azure Striker Gunvolt 3, which is now scheduled for a 2022 release date. It’s looking quite good, so hopefully it will be worth the wait.
New Releases
Pixel Game Maker Series Puzzle Pedestrians ($14.99)
SwitchArcade Highlight!
If nothing else, this game shows some of the flexibility of the Pixel Game Maker software. This looks nothing like the previous releases, and it plays quite differently as well. Produced and planned by Kenichi Nishi (he worked on Chrono Trigger, Super Mario RPG, Chulip, Moon, Chibi Robo, Incredible Crisis, and so many other very interesting games), this sees you helping pedestrians on their way to their various destinations. You have to use various items like bananas, bees, and so forth to guide them and keep them safe. It has all of the charm you would expect from a game by this particular creator, so if you’re looking for something a bit different today, give it a shot.
Twist & Switch Bundle ($5.99)
If you like the idea of owning both Switchy Road and Twister Road but somehow haven’t bought either of them yet, then I suppose this bundle is for you. As both of those games normally go for five dollars each, this bundle represents a substantial discount over buying them separately even at their normal prices. As always, make sure to check if there are any active sales or deals on any of the associated titles to ensure you’re getting a proper deal and not actually paying more than you need to. Certainly a more sensible deal on its face than today’s other bundle.
Nena ($4.99)
This is a short game about robots and love. You’ll almost certainly finish it in less than two hours, but it’s an adventure you may want to embark on anyway. The main character can transfer his consciousness to various things in the environment and control them. You’ll use this ability to solve puzzles as you make your way through the world and the game’s story. This one has a really nice ending. I won’t call it a must-have or anything, but I didn’t regret playing it. It’s not very challenging but sometimes it’s nice to chill with a simple puzzler like this one.
Rock ‘N Racing Bundle Off Road & Rally ($19.99)
It’s another combo pack, this one containing Rock ‘N Racing Off Road and Rally Rock ‘N Racing for one price. I don’t think you save very much by buying them this way, but keep an eye on sales and discounts and you may come out a winner somehow. If you’ve bought the previous bundles from this developer, you already own at least one of these games. I’m not sure why developers do these redundant bundles, but I assume they’re making money at it somehow.
America Wild Hunting ($3.99)
Hahaha, oh man! What is this? Pix Arts! What did you do, you mad fools? This is supposedly a game about hunting real birds in the American wilderness. But what the developer has done is taken some photos and dropped some ugly, obvious polygonal models of birds and a bizarre selection of guns to shoot them with. This is one of the weakest efforts I’ve seen on the eShop so far, and my goodness is that saying something. Four dollars if you want to wet your pants laughing at how low the bar has gotten on Nintendo’s approval process. Or you can buy four delicious Snickers bars. Tough choice.
Visit Once ($1.99)
This is a puzzle game with a familiar mechanic at its core. You have to move from one point to another while visiting every space once and only once on the way. It has dozens of levels to play, so assuming you’re into the puzzle style you’ll almost certainly get your two dollars’ worth here. I like that one of its bullet points in its eShop description is that it’s “violence free", as though there are a bunch of logic puzzle games where you bludgeon the nodes to death with a shovel or something as you make your way to the goal. Don’t expect many bells or whistles here, but I’d imagine for the price you weren’t hoping for a lot in that regard anyway.
Pancake Bar Tycoon ($4.99)
Baltoro dusts off its engine for yet another game about preparing and serving food. It’s almost exactly like the several other games Baltoro has released on the Switch, except this time it’s a pancake bar. More than 40 dishes to serve, more than 60 levels to clear, and the usual loop of earning money to upgrade things as you go. Serve the customers their requested order before they lose patience and leave. That’s all I’ve got to say about this one. You don’t need me to tell you if it’s your thing or not.
Dreaming Sarah ($4.99)
You can tell by a single screenshot that this game is inspired by Yume Nikki, and sure enough it is. This is a surreal adventure platformer about a young woman named Sarah who falls into a coma after an accident. She needs some help to wake up, and you’ll provide that by investigating her dream world. At times it feels uncomfortably similar to Yumi Nikki, but there’s actually a fair bit of platforming and such to give it a feel of its own. It takes a couple of hours to run through, but it’s a rather intriguing game that really pulls you in until it reaches its conclusion. Pretty decent for a fiver.
Doug Hates His Job ($6.99)
An average game can sometimes get by on a clever premise alone, but a bad one really can’t be saved. I don’t take any special pleasure in saying that Doug Hates His Job is a lousy game. It tries to do a handful of gameplay styles and it doesn’t hit the mark on any of them. It’s not even average at any of them. This is just a series of unpleasant gameplay experiences stitched together with a somewhat amusing narrative about a man who hates his job but still keeps on doing it anyway. If I had to play more games like this one, I might find myself relating to ol’ Doug.
Faircroft’s Antiques: Treasures of Treffenburg Collector’s Edition ($9.99)
Is this really a collector’s edition? It’s a digital purchase. Are they going to disappear it like it’s Super Mario 3D All-Stars or something? Well, whatever. This is a hidden object puzzle adventure, very similar to the many others you can find on the Switch eShop. This one is a little cheaper than you would pay for an Artifex Mundi release, but I can’t speak to how well the puzzle design or story is compared to the output of that publisher. You follow an expert in antiquities as she investigates the mystery behind the crown jewels of Treffenburg in 20 chapters and a bunch of mini-games. The story doesn’t seem to have that strong hook that games in this genre usually have, but perhaps you’re craving something a little more down to Earth?
Robotech: The Macross Saga HD Edition ($9.99)
Haha, oh wow. This is an HD version of a Game Boy Advance game based on Robotech, Harmony Gold’s creative interpretation of Macross. As a fan of both properties I picked this one up back in the day for full price and, uh, I was not very amused. I’ve bought and played worse licensed fare, but this isn’t a very good use of the brand and it’s not all that fun of a game either. The bulk of the game involves shooting your way through some boring horizontal shoot-em-up stages, with the occasional top-down mess to break things up. It looks as though they’ve juiced up the graphics and sound for this HD Edition, but provided they haven’t made some serious changes to the gameplay I’d really only recommend it to the die-hard Robotech nuts.
Forestry: The Simulation ($19.99)
UIG Entertainment has another simulation game for you, this time follows the trials and travails of a professional woodcutter. Use a variety of heavy machinery, including harvesters, cranes, trucks, and so on to fell trees and go through all the steps of getting the wood ready for sale. Use the money you earn from selling wood to improve and expand your company. But you can’t just clear-cut willy-nilly. You also need to maintain the forest and nurse the various species of trees lest you end up with nothing to harvest. The broad strokes here are similar to the many other games of this kind on the eShop, but the new topic does present a few new mini-games and actions I suppose.
Sales
(North American eShop, US Prices)
As mentioned above, the list wasn’t quite as big as I was anticipating. There’s a big spring sale going on over at the Japanese eShop right now, and I kind of expected the North American eShop to follow. Perhaps for MAR10 day next week. Still, there’s a fair bit to look through even if it isn’t up to the usual Friday haul. Of particular note are Venture Towns and Pocket League Story, two Kairosoft sims which with their half-off discounts are finally approaching a price comparable to the mobile versions. Not too much of note in the weekend outbox, but have a look through the list anyway just to be sure.
Select New Games on Sale
Cycle 28 ($3.49 from $6.99 until 3/11)
Hypercharge Unboxed ($13.99 from $19.99 until 3/11)
Give It Up! Bouncy ($8.49 from $9.99 until 3/13)
Speed Dating for Ghosts ($3.49 from $6.99 until 3/14)
Galak-Z The Void Deluxe ($3.74 from $14.99 until 3/15)
Skulls of the Shogun ($3.74 from $14.99 until 3/15)
Johnny Turbo’s Arcade, Assorted ($1.99 from $7.99 until 3/15)
Retro Classix 2-in-1, Assorted ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/15)
Retro Classix 4-in-1, Assorted ($7.99 from $15.99 until 3/15)
Retro Classix Data East ($9.99 from $19.99 until 3/15)
Scribblenauts Showdown ($9.99 from $39.99 until 3/15)
Scribblenauts Mega Pack ($9.99 from $39.99 until 3/15)
LEGO The Incredibles ($17.99 from $59.99 until 3/15)
LEGO DC Super-Villains ($14.99 from $59.99 until 3/15)
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 ($8.99 from $29.99 until 3/15)
LEGO City Undercover ($8.99 from $29.99 until 3/15)
LEGO Harry Potter Collection ($12.49 from $49.99 until 3/15)
LEGO Jurassic World ($9.99 from $39.99 until 3/15)
LEGO Worlds ($8.99 from $29.99 until 3/15)
LEGO NinjaGo Video Game ($14.99 from $49.99 until 3/15)
The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame ($11.99 from $39.99 until 3/15)
Cars 3 Driven to Win ($9.99 from $39.99 until 3/15)
Coffin Dodgers ($3.89 from $12.99 until 3/15)
The First Tree ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/15)
Real Heroes: Firefighter ($3.74 from $14.99 until 3/15)
SmileBASIC 4 ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/16)
Neverout ($2.09 from $7.49 until 3/18)
Youtubers Life OMG Edition ($14.99 from $29.99 until 3/18)
Gnomes Garden ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/18)
The Red Lantern ($18.74 from $24.99 until 3/18)
The Jackbox Party Pack 2 ($9.99 from $24.99 until 3/18)
The Jackbox Party Pack 4 ($12.49 from $24.99 until 3/18)
Tallowmere ($3.14 from $6.99 until 3/18)
MXGP3 ($2.99 from $29.99 until 3/18)
Out of the Box ($2.99 from $14.99 until 3/18)
Esports Life Tycoon ($11.99 from $19.99 until 3/18)
Cyanide & Happiness ($17.99 from $19.99 until 3/18)
Cubers: Arena ($6.74 from $14.99 until 3/18)
Supermarket Shriek ($15.99 from $19.99 until 3/19)
AVICII Invector ($15.99 from $19.99 until 3/19)
Nippon Marathon ($4.49 from $14.99 until 3/19)
Razed ($1.99 from $11.99 until 3/19)
Our World is Ended ($16.99 from $49.99 until 3/19)
Dusk Diver ($20.99 from $34.99 until 3/19)
Ciel Fledge: Daughter Raising Sim ($5.99 from $9.99 until 3/19)
Valrithian Arc: Hero School ($4.49 from $14.99 until 3/19)
Muddledash ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/19)
Gal*Gun 2 ($17.99 from $29.99 until 3/19)
Gun Gun Pixies ($27.49 from $49.99 until 3/19)
All-Star Fruit Racing ($8.99 from $19.99 until 3/19)
Root Letter: Last Answer ($16.49 from $29.99 until 3/19)
Raging Loop ($16.49 from $29.99 until 3/19)
Tokyo School Life ($4.49 from $14.99 until 3/19)
Kotodama: 7 Mysteries ($10.49 from $29.99 until 3/19)
PlataGO! Game Maker ($6.99 from $19.99 until 3/19)
WARBORN ($16.74 from $24.99 until 3/19)
Hell Warders ($4.49 from $14.99 until 3/19)
My Little Dog Adventure ($5.99 from $9.99 until 3/20)
Aery: Broken Memories ($8.99 from $14.99 until 3/20)
Legendary Eleven ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/21)
Mitsurugi Kamui Hikae ($7.14 from $11.90 until 3/23)
Emma: Lost in Memories ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/24)
Laraan ($3.00 from $6.00 until 3/24)
Explosive Dinosaurs ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/24)
Indiecalypse ($6.49 from $12.99 until 3/24)
Amnesia Collection ($5.99 from $29.99 until 3/24)
Alchemist Simulator ($11.24 from $12.49 until 3/24)
Ellen ($1.99 from $7.99 until 3/24)
Old Man’s Journey ($6.69 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Neonwall ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Monster Boy & the Cursed Kingdom ($15.99 from $39.99 until 3/24)
Flat Heroes ($6.69 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Spartan Fist ($3.74 from $14.99 until 3/24)
Freakout: Calamity TV Show ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Screencheat: Unplugged ($2.33 from $12.99 until 3/24)
Feather ($4.79 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Venture Towns ($7.00 from $14.00 until 3/24)
Pocket League Story ($7.00 from $14.00 until 3/24)
Roombo: First Blood ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/24)
Bridge Constructor: Walking Dead ($7.49 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Outbreak ($3.89 from $12.99 until 3/24)
Gunpig: Firepower for Hire ($2.49 from $4.99 until 3/24)
The Last Dead End ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Elliot ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Kauil’s Treasure ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Spirit Arena ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Cube Raiders ($3.24 from $12.99 until 3/24)
V.O.I.D. ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/24)
Regions of Ruin ($2.49 from $9.99 until 3/24)
Sales Ending This Weekend
Agent A: Puzzle in Disguise ($1.99 from $19.99 until 3/6)
Dat Gaem ($6.39 from $7.99 until 3/6)
Harvest Life ($3.99 from $19.99 until 3/6)
Hitori Logic ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/6)
Lawnmower Game: Racing ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/6)
Monster Prom: XXL ($6.39 from $15.99 until 3/6)
Solitaire Klondike Minimal ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/6)
Solitaire Spider Minimal ($1.99 from $3.99 until 3/6)
Suguru Nature ($1.99 from $9.99 until 3/6)
#NoLimitFantasy, Puzzles Dream ($1.99 from $6.19 until 3/7)
A Winter’s Daydream ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/7)
Aery: A Journey Beyond Time ($6.99 from $9.99 until 3/7)
Aery: Journey Beyond Time ($6.99 from $9.99 until 3/7)
Animal Fun for Toddlers & Kids ($6.29 from $6.99 until 3/7)
Animal Pairs: Matching Game ($7.19 from $7.99 until 3/7)
Animals for Toddlers ($6.29 from $6.99 until 3/7)
Baby Puzzle: Shapes ($11.69 from $12.99 until 3/7)
Balloon Pop for Toddlers & Kids ($6.29 from $6.99 until 3/7)
Battlesloths ($1.99 from $9.99 until 3/7)
Blood Waves ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/7)
Breeder’s Homegrown: DC ($1.99 from $4.99 until 3/7)
Bridge Constructor Portal ($5.99 from $14.99 until 3/7)
Color Zen Kids ($3.19 from $3.99 until 3/7)
Cube Life: Island Survival ($11.99 from $14.99 until 3/7)
Drowning ($1.99 from $2.99 until 3/7)
North ($1.99 from $2.99 until 3/7)
Pixel Action Heroes ($3.99 from $4.99 until 3/7)
Puzzles for Toddlers & Kids ($7.19 from $7.99 until 3/7)
Rift Keeper ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/7)
Shadow Bug ($4.49 from $8.99 until 3/7)
Sir Tincan: Adv. in the Castle ($6.29 from $6.99 until 3/7)
Slots of Poker at Aces Casino ($3.99 from $7.99 until 3/7)
Steampunk Tower 2 ($4.99 from $9.99 until 3/7)
Stellar Interface ($1.99 from $12.99 until 3/7)
Stellatum ($7.49 from $14.99 until 3/7)
Switchy Road DeluX ($1.99 from $5.99 until 3/7)
The Mooseman ($3.49 from $6.99 until 3/7)
The Tower of Beatrice ($2.99 from $5.99 until 3/7)
Yes, Your Grace ($11.99 from $19.99 until 3/7)
That’s all for today and this week, friends. Today’s hospital visit was fruitful in one way and frustrating in another. Apparently we’ve hit the point where the doctors don’t know what is wrong with me and are out of reasonable tests to perform. So I’m finished unless my symptoms get worse, apparently. I’m not dying, and that’s of course fantastic, but I more or less have to live with my symptoms. Oh well. Not dying. Focusing on that. Time to enjoy some stress-free gaming for the first time in months, I’d say. I hope you all have a great weekend, and as always, thanks for reading!
